More than 60 years ago, four young Black girls in Louisiana, known as the New Orleans Four, made history by integrating schools in New Orleans, enduring resistance and creating a lasting impact on civil rights. Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost walked up 18 steps to McDonogh 19 Elementary School on Nov. 14, 1960, guided by U.S. marshals and Ruby Bridges, who simultaneously integrated Frantz Elementary.
The Integration
The integration was met with backlash, as large crowds protested outside the schools. Tate recalled thinking it was a parade outside the school. Dr. Raynard Sanders says these six-year-olds impacted not only Louisiana but the nation.
The resistance was immediate. White parents pulled their children from the school, leaving the girls as the only students. The girls had to stay close, play in stairwells, and endure covered classroom windows. Today, Gail Etienne lives in Oklahoma City, Tessie Prevost passed away in 2024, Ruby Bridges continues her advocacy through the Ruby Bridges Foundation, and Leona Tate has purchased McDonogh 19, the school where she made history.
Legacy
The building now serves as an exhibit named after Tate, Prevost, and Etienne, offering visitors a glimpse into the challenges the girls faced. Reflecting on the legacy of the New Orleans Four, Tate said their contribution to civil rights is “priceless, unending.”
Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.
